Hugging the Cactus
A practical Christian study of “Hugging the Cactus,” with clear application for faith, relationships, and everyday life.
Season 5, Episode 17 · Hugging the Cactus
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The story behind the idea
Robert Downey Jr. says this, when I couldn't get sober, he told me not to give up hope, and he urged me to find my faith. It didn't have to be his faith or anyone else's as long as it was rooted in forgiveness. I couldn't get hired, so he cast me as the lead in a movie that was actually developed for him. He kept a roof over my head, and he kept food on the table.
What stands out
He did some super heinous stuff, but over time people saw a changed man, and so he became, you know, super famous again. He's challenging the people around him to extend that same form of forgiveness to another man that it's his turn to stand up for. Just to bear that out twelve years later, I think a lot of that has happened.
Why it matters
I've been wanting to share this idea with you for quite some time and haven't found the episode in which to do it, but I think the connection will work here. Sometimes we have a list of a handful of problems that need to be solved, things that need to change.
A faithful way forward
That's the reason I'm not praying in the middle of the day, and that's the reason I'm staring at my cell phone at dinner. When I announce that, turn my attention to that, my simple lack of self-discipline and taking pride in the life that I'm building, I end up doing better at all four of those things. I'll admit, I've not really thought of it in this way. I just kind of thought of it as if I implement self-discipline across the board, I'll do better than deciding, hey, I think I'll be disciplined here and not disciplined there.
Put it into practice
Which is an important thing to say because if it's hard and you know it's there, it's probably exactly where you need to be putting your attention.
Take the idea with you.
- 01What idea from this study most needs my attention right now?
- 02Where does this challenge the way I am currently thinking or living?
- 03What is one faithful step I can take this week?
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